Report: Liverpool are in the race to sign £70m-rated Premier League star | OneFootball

Liverpool and Chelsea Circle Murillo as Nottingham Forest Face £70m Summer Decision

There is a particular sound that follows a breakout defender in the Premier League. It is not quite thunder, not quite gossip, but something in between – scouts whispering, agents negotiating, directors texting late into the night. Right now, that sound is circling around Murillo, Nottingham Forest’s 23-year-old centre-half, with Liverpool and Chelsea at the heart of it.

According to reporting from TeamTalk, both clubs have shown “strong and serious” interest in the Brazilian, whose calmness on the ball and left-footed elegance have made him one of the division’s most coveted defenders. Forest, proud and pragmatic in equal measure, are bracing for a summer when offers of £60m to £70m may test their resolve.

Chelsea, it seems, have been laying foundations longer than most. Their admiration stretches back months, perhaps a year, as they look to rebuild a defence that has lacked cohesion. Liverpool, meanwhile, are watching with the patient intensity of a club that knows centre-backs are not luxuries but necessities. Virgil van Dijk is entering his mid-thirties, Joe Gomez’s future has been debated more than settled, and depth is a constant concern.

Murillo fits a profile both clubs crave: young, technically assured, tactically disciplined.

Murillo of Nottingham Forest scores the opening goal Liverpool v Nottingham Forest, Premier League

Chelsea Planning Defensive Reinforcement

Chelsea’s interest feels deliberate, strategic even. Stamford Bridge has become a revolving door for defenders in recent seasons, and stability is overdue. Murillo’s composure under pressure, his ability to pass through lines, and his positional awareness tick the boxes for a modern backline.

Sources cited by TeamTalk suggest Chelsea have done “the most extensive groundwork over the past 12 months”, considering bids last summer and preparing to push again. There is a sense that they view Murillo not merely as another option but as a cornerstone.

In an age where defenders are expected to start attacks as well as stop them, Murillo’s left foot is an asset. Chelsea’s recruitment has leaned towards ball-playing defenders, and the Brazilian’s statistics – progressive passes, interceptions, recovery pace – show promise.

Yet Chelsea are not alone in their admiration. In modern football, talent is rarely exclusive property.

Liverpool Watching With Long-Term Vision

Liverpool’s interest is rooted in planning. Clubs with ambitions do not wait for crises. They anticipate them. Murillo, at 23, offers longevity. He offers development. He offers that rare blend of calm and steel that has defined Liverpool’s greatest defenders.

There is also a stylistic compatibility. Liverpool like defenders who can step into midfield, who can carry the ball, who can resist a press. Murillo’s performances at the City Ground have displayed those qualities with growing authority.

TeamTalk notes Liverpool have carried out due diligence, weighing options across multiple windows. They are not rushing, but they are not idle either. With Ibrahima Konaté’s contract situation uncertain and the relentless demands of domestic and European competition, a new centre-back is less luxury than necessity.

Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich are also credited with interest. Yet this feels like a duel between two clubs that know the value of timing.

Forest Valuation Sets Summer Stage

Nottingham Forest are not naïve. Murillo is under contract until 2029. They do not need to sell, but football economics are relentless. If offers climb towards £70m, the conversation changes.

TeamTalk reported a sale is “increasingly likely” should that valuation be met. Forest’s stance is firm: any departure must reflect Murillo’s importance. He has been a cornerstone in defence, admired for consistency as much as flair.

Forest supporters understand the cycle. Develop, shine, sell, rebuild. It is the Premier League’s harsh arithmetic outside the elite. Yet they will hope Murillo remains one more season, perhaps two, before the inevitable.

For Liverpool and Chelsea, this is about strategy. For Forest, it is about value. For Murillo, it is about the next chapter.

In the coming months, negotiations will unfold in boardrooms rather than penalty areas. But if history teaches anything, it is this: defenders who command £70m rarely arrive quietly. They come with expectation, scrutiny, and the weight of ambition.

Murillo may soon learn how loud thunder can be at Anfield or Stamford Bridge.